Reinforced milk crate



Dec. 31, 1968 G|LDART 3,419,182 I REINFORCED MILK CRATE Original FiledFeb. 28. 1966 INVENTOR RICHARD E GILDART BY 4% J g/w w;

United States Patent 3,419,182 REINFORCED MILK CRATE Richard F. Gildart,Montebello, Califi, assignor to Rehrig Pacific Company, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of California Continuation of application Ser. No.530,467, Feb. 28, 1966. This application June 2, 1967, Ser. No. 643,2899 Claims. (Cl. 22073) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is to aplastic bottle crate with integral reinforced sides and a non-integralmetallic ring held by two integral flanges at the top of the crate.

This invention is a continuation of application Ser. No. 530,467 filedFeb. 28, 1966, now abandoned and relates to crates, and moreparticularly to crates molded from a synthetic resins material andhaving a reinfored open top.

It is well known to form material or article handling crates fromsynthetic resin materials, hereinafter referred to broadly as plastic.However, the inherent flexibility of the plastic materials employed tomold crates used for handling relatively heavy articles, such as filledmilk bottles, has made it necessary to reinforce the plastic adjacentthe open top of the crate. Although numerous arrangements have beendevised for reinforcing the top of such crates, these arrangements havenot been entirely satisfactory. Accordingly, the primary object of thisin vention is to provide an improved reinforced molded plastic :milkcrate.

In the attainment of the foregoing and other objects, an importantfeature of the invention resides in providing a molded plastic milkcrate with an outwardly projecting flange integrally molded around theopen top of the crate, and positioning an endless metallic reinforcingrod member around the outer periphery of the crate immediately below theflange. The flange is molded with a plurality of openings extendingvertically therethrough adjacent each side wall of the crate, and thereinforcing rod member is provided with a number of upwardly projectingtabs integrally formed on its upper edge in a position to project intothe openings of the flange. This interlocking arrangement between thereinforcing rod and the flange positively prevents the side walls of thecrate from deflecting inwardly away from the reinforcing rod.Preferably, the reinforcing rod member is pre-formed and installed onthe crate immediately after molding while the plastic material issufficiently warm and flexible to permit the rod member to be installedover the flange without permanently deforming the flange.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingspecification taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top portion of a molded plasticcrate according to the present invention, with the reinforcing ring inposition to be installed on the crate;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the top portion of the reinforced crateaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the reinforcingrod member showing one of the tabs formed thereon.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a reinforced plastic milk crateaccording to the present invention is indicated generally by thereference numeral 1, and is shown having four integrally molded,vertically extending side panels indicated by the reference numerals 2,3, 4 and 5, 'respectively. The vertical side panels may be formed with aplurality of reinforcing, or stiffening ribs 6, as desired, and a handle7 may be formed in the respective side panels in the conventionalmanner.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the horizontal cross-section of the crate issubstantially rectangular, and a pair of vrtically spaced, integrallyformed flanges 9 and 10' are formed around the outer periphery of thecrate, forming an outwardly directed C-shaped channel 11 around theperiphery of the crate adjacent its open top. A plurality of generallyrectangular openings 12 extend vertically through the uppermost flange10 at spaced intervals therealong. At least one, and preferably 2 ormore of the openings 12 are positioned intermediate the vertical sideedges of each of the respective side panels.

An endless metallic reinforcing rod member 15 is formed from a length ofa steel rod shaped into a generally rectangular configuration and hasits adjoining ends welded as at 16 to form a closed ring. The innerperiphery of the rod member 15 is substantially equal to and is shapedto conform to the outer periphery of crate 1 within channel 11. Aplurality of tabs 17 are integrally formed on and project upwardly fromthe upper portion of rod 15. Preferably tabs 17 are formed by coining aportion of the material from the upper portion of the steel rod member15 as shown in FIG. 4. The coined tabs 17 have a generally rectangularcross section corresponding generally to the rectangular shape and sizeof the openings 12 in flange 10.

The steel reinforcing rod member 15 is installed on crate 1 withinchannel 11 with the tabs 17 projecting upwardly into the openings 12 asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Also, as seen in FIG. 3, the verticalspacing of flanges 9 and 10 is less than the combined vertical dimensionof the rod member 15 and tabs 17 so that, once the rod member isinstalled on the crate, the tabs 17 projecting into openings 12 offlange 10 firmly interlock the top portion of the crate to there-enforcing rod.

The molded plastic portion of the crate and the steel reinforcing rodmember are separately formed and subsequently assembled. However, sincethe inner periphery of the reinforcing rod number 15 is less than theouter periphery of flange 10, and further since the vertical spacing offlanges 9 and 10 is less than the height of the reinforcing rod 15 andthe tab 17, it is necessary to deform the molded plastic portion of thecrate to assemble the two elements. Preferably this is accomplished soonafter the molded plastic portion is removed from the injection mold, andwhile the plastic material is still sufliciently pliable to permitdeflection without causing permanent distortion. The plastic is thenallowed to cool and harden to form a firmly interlocked assembly.

As most clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, the upper flange 10 is ofsubstantially heavier section than flange 9. This relatively heavysection of flange 10 has suflicient rigidity to effectively resistdeflection in the amount necessary to withdraw tabs 17 from openings 12.Flange 10 also provides support for the side panel between adjacent tabs17 on the reinforcing rod member 15. While flange 9 provides somerigidity to the associated side panel, its principal function is toprovide support for the rod member 15 to prevent movement thereof in adirection to allow tabs 17 to be withdrawn from openings 12.

I claim:

1. In a milk crate having a bottom panel, integrally formed moldedplastic side panels, and means reinforcing said side panels adjacent thetop edges thereof, the improvement wherein said reinforcing meanscomprises, an endless metal reinforcing rod member extending around andclosely engaging the outer periphery of said crate adjacent the topedges of said side panels, first retaining means integrally molded onand projecting outwardly from said side panels for engaging andretaining said rod member against movement toward said bottom panel,second retaining means in the form of an outwardly directed flangeintegrally molded with said side panels and extending outwardly from thetop edges thereof in overlaying relation with said rod member, andlocking means integrally formed on said rod member engaging one of saidretaining means to prevent relative movement of said side panelsinwardly away from said rod member.

2. A milk crate as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking meanscomprises a plurality of tabs integrally formed on and projecting fromsaid endless rod member to engage and penetrate one of said retainingmeans.

3. A milk crate as defined in claim 1 wherein said firstretaining meanscomprises a flange integnally formed with said side panels andprojecting outwardly therefrom in underlying relation with said rodmember, said reinforcing means further comprising, a plurality ofopenings extending through one of said flanges, said locking meansincluding means projecting from said rod member into said openings.

4. A milk crate as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom panel and saidside panels are generally rectangular, and wherein said locking meansengages said one of said retaining means at a point intermediate theside edges of each of said panels.

5. In a milk crate having a generally rectangular bottom panel, moldedplastic side panels extending upwardly from said bottom panels andintegrally joined :at the corners of said crate, and means reinforcingsaid side panels adjacent the top edge thereof, the improvement whereinsaid reinforcing means comprises an endless metal reinforcing rod memberextending around and closely engaging the outer periphery of said crateadjacent the top edges of said side panels, shoulder means integrallymolded on and projecting outwardly from said side panels for engagingand retaining said rod member against movement toward said bottom panel,an outwardly directed flange integrally molded with said side panels andextending outwardly from the top edges thereof in overlying relationwith said rod member, a plunality of openings formed in said flange, oneof said openings being positioned intermediate the side edges of each ofsaid side panels, and a plurality of rigid tab members formed on andprojecting upwardly from said rod members, said tabs projecting intosaid openings in said flange and retaining said side panels againstmovement away from said rod member.

6. A milk crate as defined in claim 5 wherein said shoulder meanscomprises a second flange integrally molded with said side panels andextending around said crate in vertically spaced relation with saidoutwardly directed flange and cooperates therewith to define a channelretaining said rod member against vertical movement on said crate.

7. A milk crate as defined in claim 6 wherein a plurality of saidopenings are spaced along said flange intermediate the side edges ofeach of said panels, with one of said tabs projecting into each of saidopenings, said tabs being generally rectangular in cross-section andbeing integrally formed on said rod member by coining.

8. In a milk crate having a bottom panel, integrally formed moldedplastic side panels, and means reinforcing said side panels adjacent thetop edges thereof, the improvement wherein said reinforcing meanscomprises, means defining a substantially U-shaped channel integrallymolded from the same homogenous mass of plastic material with said sidepanels, said U-shaped channel extending around the outer periphery ofsaid crate adjacent the open top thereof, an endless metal reinforcingrod member extending around and closely engaging the outer periphery ofsaid crate within said U-shaped channel, and locking means integrallyformed on said rod member engaging and penetrating the inner surface ofat least one of the opposing walls of said U-shaped channel to preventrelative movement between said rod member and said side panels.

9. A milk crate as defined in claim 8 wherein said locking meanscomprises a plurality of tabs integrally formed on and projecting fromsaid endless rod member to engage and penetrate one of said channelwalls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,743,030 4/ 1956 Read.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,100,401 4/1955 France.

JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-94

